17 March 2025
The right to a healthy environment comes into effect in the ACT today, in a move welcomed by the Commission.
“This is a really significant step in recognising that we all depend on a clean and healthy environment to be able to lead good and happy lives,” said ACT Human Rights Commissioner, Dr Pene Mathew.
“While the right to a healthy environment can’t address climate change and environmental harms on its own, incorporating this right within our ACT human rights framework means that public servants and government agencies will now have to consider environmental impacts through the lens of human rights when they develop and implement policies and laws,” Dr Mathew said.
The ACT is the first Australian territory or state to recognise the right to a healthy environment.
Under the right to a healthy environment, the ACT government must respect, protect and promote a safe climate, clean air, healthy ecosystems and biodiversity, access to safe and sufficient water and adequate sanitation, healthy and sustainable food and a non-toxic environment in which to live, work, study and play
The right to a healthy environment also contains three practical elements that are critical for environmental protection: access to information; public participation in environmental decision-making; and access to justice and effective remedies
The ACT government must assess whether their activities have environmental impacts that threaten human rights, and make these assessments publicly available. It must also give the community the opportunity to raise concerns about developments, urban planning, laws or other government decisions which affect the environment.
- For more information, read our Commission factsheet on the right
- Learn about making a complaint about human rights, including the right to a healthy environment
- Child-friendly information on the right to a healthy environment is available in this newsletter from our Children and Young People Commissioner, Jodie Griffiths-Cook.